MELODY PIANISSIMA'S STORY
CHAPTER 8: 1924: ASSAULT, THREATS, AND NEAR DEATH
February fifth came around again, marking the day that Henry and Orville came into the world. Neville and Lydia threw them a birthday party. While everyone was gathered around the twins at the table, Wendell stood back behind Melody. The twins blew out the three candles together and everyone cheered. Leila climbed upon the chair next to Henry and sat down and Sue Pea did the same thing except next to Orville. Shivers brought out the knife and cut each child a piece of cake. When he was done he passed the knife to Mr. Whirlinda.
"Who wants a piece?" He asked, cutting the cake into several little squares.
Everyone spoke up except Melody and Wendell.
"Do you two want a slice?" Ms. Whirlinda asked, taking a bite out of hers.
"No thanks." The light haired woman replied.
The black haired man shook his head.
Melody walked out of the dining room and Wendell followed behind her. Leila noticed her mother had stepped out of the room, so she slid off the chair and ran after her. Surprisingly no one had noticed their absence.
When Melody walked in the music room, Wendell walked in and forced her up against the wall.
"Get off me!" The light haired woman snapped as he pinned her. "I will come right out and tell the others."
"They'll never believe you." The black haired man growled in her face.
"There are others in this house that will believe me." She replied, staring into his dark green eyes.
"They won't care!" He snapped. "They never cared about you."
Melody scowled at him and kneed him right between the legs. Wendell cringed and held his breath as the pain lingered. When he recovered, he placed his hand on her throat and began to cut off the circulation.
"Mommy?" Leila called as she walked in the room.
Wendell released Melody and she slid down the wall, trying to catch her breath.
"What did you do to my mommy?" The little girl asked, walking over to her mother.
Wendell was nervous; Leila had caught him in the act of hurting Melody. He knew they would believe the young child, so he darted out of the room. The little girl with light blonde hair and short pigtails sat down in front of her mother. The light haired woman held her arms out and her child crawled into her arms. Melody stood up with Leila and looked in the mirror at her neck. She sighed and walked out of the music room.
The others continued to sit in the dining room eating cake. When Melody walked in with Leila, they turned their attention to them.
"Melody, what's wrong?" Lydia asked in concern.
The light haired woman ignored her question. "Nana, I need to tell you something."
The older woman stood up from the table and walked over to the mother and child. Melody stepped out and Nana followed. Leila held onto her mother as she walked down the hall. Melody sighed as she stepped inside the music room. Nana walked in behind her and stood there.
"What's wrong?" The older woman asked.
The light haired woman sat her little one on the rectangle bench by piano and turned around.
"I can't take it anymore." She spoke almost in a complete whisper.
"Take what?" The older woman asked as she stood there.
"Wendell assaulting me!" She shouted very upset. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last time!"
Nana didn't say anything and looked at Leila and back at the young woman.
Melody pulled the collar on her dress down. "This is what he done to me."
"Oh my." Nana looked at the bruise starting to form on her neck.
"He done this after I got him between the legs with my knee." The light haired woman told her as she looked the older woman in the eyes. "He wouldn't get off me."
"We're going to get him thrown out of here." Nana assured her.
"No you won't. Neville doesn't care about me, so it doesn't matter…" The light haired woman sighed, looking away. "Leila saw him assault me. Don't worry about having Wendell thrown out, I'm packing my things and taking Leila."
"It won't be any safer if you leave here." Nana told her. "He can still get to you outside of the mansion."
"Then I'll leave and go live in Mushroom City." She told her.
"We live on the outskirts of Mushroom City." The older woman sighed.
Melody began to cry and Nana walked over to her and hugged her. "What am I going to do?"
Leila slid off the bench and hugged her mother.
"Don't worry; I'm going to talk to my son, but if he doesn't listen I'll protect you." The old woman assured as she released the young woman.
Melody picked up Leila and wiped her eyes.
"Let's go talk to Neville." Nana put her arm around the mother and child and escorted her out.
Little did they know was that Wendell had been listening from around the corner in the hallway.
Neville sat in the study, reading a book when Nana let herself, Melody, and Leila inside the room.
"Neville, we need to have a talk." The old woman fussed as she closed the door.
"About what?" He asked, closing the book.
"We're going to talk about this." Nana told him, pulling the collar down on Melody's maroon dress.
Neville stood up and looked at her neck. "Who did this to you?"
"Wendell." The light haired woman sighed, looking away.
"He was hurting my mommy." Leila spoke up as she held onto her mother.
"What did you do to him to make him do this to you?" The bookish father asked, examining her neck.
"I kneed him between the legs, but –" Melody was cut off.
"You started it, so it's not my problem." He fussed.
"You don't get it, he's been assaulting me!" She cried. "I told you he wouldn't care!"
"Some father figure you turned out to be." Nana told her son.
"If I wanted to be uncared about, I'd go back home to my parents and suffer that way!" Melody shouted at him as she headed for the door.
Neville sighed as Melody swung the door open and stormed out with Leila.
"Way to go." Nana fussed, flicking him in the ear.
The light haired woman walked in Leila's room and sat down in the rocking chair with her child.
"I'm sorry mommy." The little girl apologized as he mother sobbed. "I kiss it and make it better."
The light haired woman looked up at her daughter and smiled. She wiped her eyes and looked in her daughter's big green eyes.
"You are as sweet as honey." Melody smiled, making her smile.
As they sat there in the rocking chair, Biff and Sue Pea walked in.
"Are you alright?" The buffed man asked in concern as he approached them.
"It doesn't really matter. Even if I tell you, there's nothing you can do." Melody sighed.
"C'mon Mel, tell me what's going on. I'm your husband." He sighed.
Sue Pea stood there in silence.
The light haired woman pulled the collar down on her maroon dress, revealing the bruises. "There's nothing you can do it about it…"
Biff became enraged at this and stormed out. He knew who done it and he was going to make him pay.
In the kitchen, Wendell poured arsenic in the cup of coffee he knew was for Nana. When he was done, he put the container in his pocket and stood there. Shivers came back in and picked up the cup and walked back out. Biff stormed in and grabbed Wendell by the shirt and forced him up against the floral print wall.
"If you ever lay a hand on my wife ever again, I'll break your legs." He warned.
"Don't be threatening me." The black haired man snapped angrily.
"I'm not threatening, I'm promising!" Biff replied enraged.
Both men looked at each other with daggers in their eyes. The buffed man released his grip and shoved him to the floor and walked out. Biff did not know what he was up against, but he would eventually find out.
Shivers brought Nana her tea while she lectured her son. The older woman took the cup and drank some.
"But mother—" Neville was cut off.
"Don't "But mother" me." She snapped. "You are not kicking that poor girl and her family out. I won't allow it!"
The man sighed. "She can't stay here anymore."
"Well you can't just kick her out! You know darn well that her parents won't take her in! If they threw her out over something stupid, they aren't going to accept her back into their lives!" The older woman yelled at him.
Neville sighed and shook his head.
"If you throw her out and something happens to her, I will personally have you arrested for her death that could be prevented." She threatened.
"Fine, she stays." He sighed.
"If you don't start protecting her right now and he causes her demise, I'll take a roller pin to your butt until the day I die." She threatened.
The light red haired man looked at his mother's stern face.
"Go apologize to her." His mother ordered.
Shivers opened the door for him and he walked out.
Melody sat in the rocking chair with Leila and now Sue Pea, rocking them both. As she rocked, she told them a nursery rhyme.
"Georgie Porgie, Puddin' and Pie, Kissed the girls and made them cry, When the boys came out to play Georgie Porgie ran away." She spoke as she rocked them.
Both children laughed as they snuggled up to her.
Before she could tell them another, Neville walked in and she stopped rocking.
"We need to talk." He replied, walking towards her.
Sue Pea and Leila slid off Melody's lap and sat on the bed.
"There's nothing to talk about." The light haired girl snapped, standing up. "It's clear you don't care about me."
"I do care about you." He replied, looking into her eyes.
"Then why don't you do anything to protect me from that monster?" She asked, turning her back to him.
Neville turned Melody around and hugged her. "I will from now on. I'm sorry, Mel."
The light haired girl began to cry on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry." He apologized as he hugged her.
Melody pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I forgive you."
"I should've listened to you better." Neville told her. "You're like a daughter to me."
"And you're almost like a father to me." She replied.
Biff walked back in and pulled Melody into a hug.
March tenth came around again, marking four years of Biff and Melody being married. Most know how they celebrated, but they were careful not to make another little human.
October fifth had come around again. Leila barged in her parents' room and climbed upon the bed and began jumping. The little girl with short pigtails was excited, today was her birthday.
Biff and Melody sat up and Leila plopped down on the bed.
"Honey, go get dressed and we'll meet you downstairs." The buffed man told her.
The child nodded and slid off the bed and ran out of the room.
Both adults got out of bed and dressed themselves. The light haired woman walked out and walked in her daughter's room. The shorthaired girl sat down on her bed and her mother picked up the white brush and began brushing her hair. Melody parted Leila's hair and pulled each side into a pigtail. The little girl was dressed in her pumpkin orange colored dress with the brown bow at the top of her dress. Melody handed Leila her black shoes and she slipped them on.
"Happy birthday." She smiled as she picked up her daughter.
"I'm this many today!" She replied happily as she held up three fingers.
Melody held onto Leila as she left the room and headed down to the dining room. When they got down there, Biff had already beaten them. The shorthaired girl with pigtails was surprised. Everyone was already waiting for them. All the adults in the house had stayed up late to set everything up. The light haired girl sat the little girl down on the wooden chair and the buffed man sat the cake down in front of her.
"It seems like just yesterday you had just given birth to her." Lydia told her.
"They grow up so fast." Ms. Whirlinda commented.
"Can we go outside and play in the garden?" Sue Pea asked, catching the attention of the adults.
"Go ahead." Neville told them.
"By the time you come back in, we'll be ready to give Leila her gifts." Nana told the five-year-old weakly as she sat down on the wooden chair.
Vincent Van Gore sat down at the table.
"Just be careful." Melody told them.
Sue Pea helped Leila down off the chair and walked out with Henry and Orville in tow.
Outside in the garden all four children stood there by the fountain as water poured out the top.
"Do you want to play tag?" Sue Pea asked the others.
The three children nodded.
"I'll be it and the fountain will be base." She told them. "Now run."
The twins and the shorthaired girl with pigtails ran away. The five-year-old girl chased after the twins and the birthday girl. The three children made it to base and Sue Pea stood there. Leila climbed upon the wooden bench and climbed upon the edge of the fountain. The other children became nervous and Orville ran back inside to get the adults.
"Leila, get down!" Henry whined, watching her balance herself on the edge.
"Be careful!" Sue Pea shrieked as she watched the shorthaired child catch her balance.
As Leila walk around the edge, she stepped on a wet spot and lost her balance. Both children watched in horror as she fell in. Sue Pea ran to the fountain and climbed up there and stepped in the seven inches of water with Henry following after. Both children gasped when they saw blood forming around the three-year-old girl laying face first in the water. The little girl with braids picked their friend up and held her the best she could. Henry got out and Sue Pea struggled to pass Leila to him. The twin struggled to hold her as his cousin got out of the fountain.
"LEILAAAAAA!" Melody screamed as she ran towards the scene with the other adults in tow.
Orville stood back with the others.
The light haired woman took her daughter from the twin and held her. "Leila, please don't die! Wake up!"
Biff placed his two fingers on the side of his daughter's neck. He sighed in relief when he felt her pulse. "She's still alive."
Melody placed her hand on the back of Leila's head and gently laid her down. She pinched her daughter's nose and blew into her mouth. The child started coughing up water and she moved away from her face. The shorthaired girl with pigtails started to cry and she picked up her daughter and held her close.
"Oh Leila, I thought I lost you!" Melody cried as she sat there with her little one in her arms.
"Let's get her inside." Neville told the weeping mother. "We need to doctor her cut."
Biff helped Melody up and she walked in with Leila crying in her arms. Neville and Shivers escorted them in, leaving the others outside.
"Is Leila gonna be okay?" Sue Pea asked.
"I hope so, she's my only child." The buffed man answered.
"What happened out here anyway?" Uncle Grimmly asked in concern.
"We were playing tag and the fountain was base. Leila climbed on it and slipped. She fell in and Henry and I got in the fountain to get her out. There was blood too." The little girl explained.
"I pray that zee child will be okay." Vincent Van Gore spoke up.
"Same here." The Whirlindas spoke in unison.
"She's such a good, cheerful little girl." Nana sighed, picking up the twins.
Lydia started walking back towards the mansion with Chauncey and the others followed after.
Melody stood there in the bathroom holding Leila while Neville and Shivers doctored the wound on the child's forehead. The little child cried as the butler put medicine on her wound. The light haired woman rubbed her child's back as Neville wrapped her head.
"Don't let her fall asleep." Neville instructed as he put stuff away.
"How come?" Melody asked in concern as she fixed Leila's hair.
"She could have a brain injury, but I don't know." The forty-year-old man told her.
"Does her head hurt?" The butler asked.
Leila shook her head. "No."
"Then she should be fine, but I still don't think she should sleep for a good while." Neville replied, rubbing the child's head.
Melody nodded and walked out of the bathroom with her child in her arms. The others walked in from outside and the light haired woman turned to face them as she held her child.
"Is she alright?" Nana asked in concern.
"She should be okay." The light haired woman replied. "I'm just so happy my baby girl is alright."
"Me too." Biff replied as he approached them. "She's a piece of us."
"You know, we can always let her open her gifts later." Lydia interrupted. "Go out and spend time together."
"Sue Pea?" Leila chimed in.
"Can I? The five-year-old asked, looking up at her friend's parents.
"I don't mind." Melody replied. "Biff?"
"I'm fine with it." He answered.
"I'm fine with it as well." Uncle Grimmly assured.
Biff picked up Sue Pea and they headed for the front door. After they left, the others went about their business.
Wendell sat in his room, plotting his next offense towards Melody. He was still angry with her for telling on him and he really wanted to make her pay, but how? He didn't know exactly what to do, but he wanted to do something that wouldn't get him in trouble. He pulled out the arsenic and started to think. The last time he poured some in Melody's tea, she became sick and bed ridden for some time, but she didn't die. He only had done it every so often. Then when he had done the same to Nana, she acted normal. He knew what he had to do, kill the ones closest to Melody before going after her.
Later that evening when Biff and Melody came back with the girls, they headed to Leila's room. The other adults in the mansion had placed the three-year-old's gifts in her room. Melody sat Leila down and the child ran to her gifts and unwrapped them. Sue Pea sat in the rocking chair watching the little girl. Biff and Melody stood back with a big smile on their faces as they watched their child open her gifts. Leila opened the gift from her parents and hugged it. It was a new light brown teddy bear with a dark brown bow tie. The child loved her new toy, it became her favorite thing and it made her happy. Melody picked Leila up and placed her in her single sized bed. Biff brought over the pink blanket Nana had knitted her and covered her up with it. Both adults kissed their little one goodnight and escorted Sue Pea out.
"I'll see you in the bedroom." The buffed man replied, breaking the silence.
Melody nodded and picked up Sue Pea. "Okay."
Biff headed towards their room and Melody headed towards Sue Pea's room. When she entered with the blonde haired girl, she sat her on the bed and undone her little braids. She pulled the child's pink dress off and handed her, her pink nightgown. The child pulled her pink nightgown over her head and pulled off her black shoes. The twenty-four year old woman laid the dress on the armchair and moved the shoes next to it. Sue Pea crawled to the head of the bed and Melody covered her up. The little girl watched the young woman go to the door and before she could walk out the child spoke up.
"Thank you momma."
Melody stopped and turned around. She forgot she told her she could call her that.
"You're welcome." She replied as she walked out.
Sue Pea turned off the lamp and went to sleep.
Melody entered hers and Biff's bedroom and plopped down on the bed.
Is everything okay?" He asked in concern as he sat down on the bed with her.
"I guess. I mean we nearly lost Leila earlier today…" She sighed, removing her black shoes.
"Everything will be okay." He assured his wife as he put his arm around her. "She's still with us."
Melody looked at him and nodded. Biff moved his arm and she stood up and removed her dress and her corset. She laid her clothes across the chair and turned to face him.
"You are just as beautiful the day I met you." He spoke up as he looked at her from head to toe.
Instead of putting her nightgown on, she walked over to her husband and stood there. The buffed man was still mesmerized by her even if she didn't have anything but panties on. He put his hands on her waist and had her sit down on his lap. Biff and Melody locked eyes and they smiled at each other. He pulled her closer and locked lips with hers. After the passionate kiss, he stood up with her and moved to the middle of the bed.
"Goodnight my love." Biff pulled up the blanket up over them.
"Goodnight my big, strong man." Melody replied, moving her almost naked body close to him.
NOTE: If you see any of the mistakes I missed while going over this story, PM me.
